Debating the world revolutionBook Review

A review of "To the Masses: Proceedings of the Third Congress of the Communist International", edited and translated by John Riddell.

Abstract:

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Excerpts:

You can dip into this extraordinary book and track any number of arguments, with Manabendra Roy from India insisting that the Congresss concluding theses recognise not just anti-imperialist struggles but the role colonial possessions played in stabilising international capitalism. British Communist delegate Tom Bell warned against over-reliance on "past formulas" partly in response to a speech by Leon Trotsky. There was the "open letter" strategy with demands designed to rally workers in all left wing parties, the forerunner of the united front and a direct counter to the theory of the offensive. Karl Radek introduced the idea of transitional demands. Georg Lukács, philosopher and Hungarian comrade of Kun, contributed to the March Action debate. Alexandra Kollontai, not just reporting on the Communist womens movement, but also representing the Workers' Opposition in Russia and opposing the Bolshevik governments New Economic Policy.